The Kulmer Gate
The last gate is the Kulmer Gate, built in 1576. It was named after the Kulmers, who were caretakers of the castle for a long time. In front of it, a horizontal beam bridge with cast-iron holes, a drop beam and a portcullis spanned the deep moat.
Inside the long, arched gate, the castle path turns 90 degrees to the left and leads to the elongated kennel in front of the castle proper. The portal is made of red sandstone.
The courtyard
Near the old ducal town of St. Veit an der Glan, the beautiful castle has watched over the land for more than 1,000 years. Like many other high castles that are still preserved, Hochosterwitz Castle is used today as an attraction for visitors.
The picturesque courtyard welcomes its guests to linger and enjoy all the attractions of the castle in peace.
The Chapel of St. Nicholas
Nestled in the courtyard of Hochosterwitz Castle, the Chapel of St. Nicholas shows itself in all its impressive beauty.
The castle forge
The 600 year old family forge of the Schmidberger family not only first supplied Hochosterwitz Castle with weapons 450 years ago, but continues to manufacture the ancient weapons to this day. The ancient forging art from the Schmidberger house is known beyond Austria's borders.
The Schmidberger family has already been commissioned by the Vatican to provide the Papal Swiss Guard with new armor. These were made partly in the family forge in Molln in the iron road in the Steyr Valley and partly at Hochosterwitz Castle.
